EDENBRIDGE

Symphonic Metal / Power Metal • Austria

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Edenbridge is a symphonic metal band from Austria which was founded as a studio-project by guitarist/keyboardist Lanvall, bassist Kurt Bednarsky, and vocalist Sabine Edelsbacher in 1998. With the addition of drummer Roland Navratil the line-up was completed for the production of their debut album Sunrise in Eden. Current members are Sabine Edelsbacher (vocals), Lanvall (guitars, keyboards), Frank Bindig (bass), Dominik Sebastian (guitars), and Max Pointner (drums). Former members include Kurt Bednarsky (bass), Georg Edelmann (guitars), Andreas Eibler (guitars), Martin Mayr (guitars), Robert Schoenleitner (guitars), and Sebastian Lanser (drums).

1999

... the recording of Sunrise in Eden took place in the Seagull Music Studio belonging to sound magician Gandalf. In the same year Edenbridge signed a worldwide deal with the German label Massacre Records.

EDENBRIDGE movies (DVD, Blu-Ray or VHS)

EDENBRIDGE Reviews

The Bonding (2013) is the eighth full-length album by Austrian symphonic metal act Edenbridge. This is the first album to feature new bassist Wolfgang Rothbauer, who also provides harsh vocals on the song Shadows of my Memory with male lead vocals on the over fifteen minute long title track are provided by guest Swedish singer Erik Mårtensson, who has provided backing/choir vocals on a number of metal albums including ones by artists like Golden Resurrection and Germán Pascual.

Although the early to mid work of Edenbridge is generally regarded to belong to the symphonic power metal genre on The Bonding the band have delivered a much more straight up work of symphonic metal. Elements of power metal are present in some songs including the excellent opener Mystic River but the greater focus throughout the album is on the symphonic elements, which are very well done. I like though that Edenbridge does not allow the guitar to go neglected though so you'll still hear some soloing aside from keeping the heaviness up. Solos are actually becoming more common in this genre these days than they were when I first started listening to symphonic metal some years ago so although it's less of a surprise to hear them in symphonic metal, it's still nice to hear some tastefully lead playing complementing the symphonic stuff. Lead singer Sabine Edelsbacher also has a great tone for Edenbridge's music. I guess I'd personally like to hear more power metal from them though. The fast riffs really stir up a track when they hit, as in The Invisible Force, another of The Bonding's best tracks.

The Bonding is overall a really solid symphonic metal album but it does also feel like the work of a band playing it safe within their genre. There are a few hints here and there in Edenbridge's music that hint at how other influences including folksy and progressive touches could be worked into the existing sound to great effect but every time I catch a hint of these or anything else it's almost as if they deliberating held back. That's not to say they haven't had an adventurous moment or two; The Bonding's title track is, as already stated, in excess of the fifteen minute mark, but for the most part the songs are business as usual for the genre. It's not a major problem, because these are all good songs and in a rare feat for metal bands they can pull off their balladry sections seamlessly, but there are definite hints that The Bonding could be even greater than it already is.

To summarise, The Bonding is a very worthwhile symphonic metal album with a stunning vocalist, particularly if you like the sort of mid-paced paced anthemic songs that the band mostly concern themselves with. I'm just hoping that next time around they don't play it so safe and actually explore some of those influences I'm hearing trapped in the background, begging to be released upon their listeners.

Think of a more progressive approach of NIGHTWISH with some neoclassical elements and less speedy in rhythm, and you'll get EDENBRIDGE. 'Sunrise In Eden' marks their first step and in a glance, I didn't realize this is already 12 years old. Year 2000 isn't a bright year for non-mainstream metal, especially when alternative/nu-metal still reign the world, but EDENBRIDGE deserved an appreciation for this idealistic mission, giving something fresh for the community.

The concept is actually pretty interesting but what bugs me is the lack of strength in songwriting. When you heard NIGHTWISH or WITHIN TEMPTATION, you can always find two or three songs that strike you fast and hard in the first spin but you can't find that here. Best tracks here perhaps only the ballads 'Forever Shine On' and 'Take Me Back' with Sabine's angelic vocal, but then you started to doubt, why would a metal album's highlight are in ballads.

Because the fastest tracks here are relatively weaker. 'Cheyenne Spirit', is good but it's hard to say it's a memorable tune. 'Wings of The Wind' is complex but boring to be honest. 'Midnight At Noon' is a good and safe uptempo track. The title track started with a nice oriental intro, but the 8-minutes duration is painful as they walk with a very average tune.

Another low thing here is that 'Holy Fire' is totally a waste, chaotic track with no good melodies at all. 'My Last Step Beyond' that serves as the epic part of this album, running in 10-minutes, isn't bad, but not great enough to catapult this album to any point beyond 65%-70%.

In the end, it’s just a medicore debut, buy only if it's extremely cheap and recommended to symphonic metal enthusiast only.

Female-fronted Epic Power Metal…this description alone should be enough to inform you if you’re interested in going any further. Still with me? Ok, then. Edenbridge is what I call a “Genre Band” (I need to copyright that). If you’re into the specific genre to which they belong, then no arguable reason can be found for you to not like them. In this case, they fall into the well worn grooves that Nightwish carved out before them and do a very good job and presenting all the elements the genre is known for. The music has all the grandiose trappings and epic melodies one would expect. The vocals, provided by one Ms. Sabine Edelsbacher, are smooth & melodic. They attempt, with varying degrees of success, to invoke passion & drama into the songs. Yes sir, it’s all there…except for the fire.

Where’s the fire? The first 4 tracks, including the 65 second “intro” track (I wish bands would stop doing this), pass by barely noticeable. The tempos, riffs & performances are so mundane & standard that they leave no impression. The first signs of life are with the track “Adamantine”, and even then it drops off at around the 36 second mark. The thing I believe to be keeping the music from truly crossing the border into being energetic is the vocal performance. Sabine is no doubt a competent vocalist. Her delivery, on the other hand, is a bit subdued. It sounds as if she’s not getting “up under it”, as I like to put it. She’s singing it, but she’s not feeling it. Imagine, if you will, Anneke from The Gathering singing for Nightwish. Anneke is a fantastic vocalist, but over faster, more metallic riffs she’d sound out of place. So it is with Sabine. The first track where she sounds as though she fits is “Whale Rider”, a slow, piano driven ballad. Her excellent performance, however, can’t save the track from sounding like it came from an animated movie.

The remainder of the album is loaded with more of the same, so there’s really no need to continue track by track. My Earth Dream is not a bad record, by any means. But, strong musicianship aside, I can’t sincerely call it good either. It simply lay’s there, doing precious little to grab someone’s attention, hoping desperately that someone, anyone, will stop long enough to give it a chance.